Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty


Eric 

I could not hold back anymore as I went and embraced her. For a moment, I felt like my entire world had just become void of external bodies and there was this peace around me. My heart started beating really fast and even as I was resisting the urge to mark her right there and then, I could not help but feel like she was feeling really calm. Dera was suddenly calm and everything about her calmed down greatly. 

Usually, I was used to the sound of her tensed heart beating as fast as possible that one could have thought it was threatening to explode but now, she had suddenly become really calm and collected and did not try to fight anything. She was safe and I could tell at the moment that was everything to her. 

So, I remained still and refused to move in order not to startle her. I just wanted to be able to hold her and have her feeling really peaceful. We had been in this position when I suddenly heard a servant approaching. Dera pulled away instantly and was keeping her eyes from meeting mine. I wanted so much to know if she was shy or scared of me but the damned servant was approaching.

"Um, are you fine now?" I asked her.

"Yes, Sir. I'm fine. Thank you." She responded. I also noticed that with each response, she seemed to be bowing to me. This was happening not because of me but it was clearly something she was used to. It reminded me also of the previous night when she had accidentally broken that sculpture. She did not even care about herself when she was trying hard to pick the pieces and she had not been looking at me. Even as she had been apologising, I noticed how she kept bowing over and over again.

Dera was really going to take a lot of time getting healed and I desperately wanted to be her peace. I was skeptical about leaving her and then decided that I would go away for a while and then come check on her again much later. By then, who knows, she might have calmed down.

"Okay. You need anything, you know where to find me. And if you need suggestions for any books, I could assist. I have read a couple of things here." I said to her,

"Okay, sir." She responded.

Now this was something I could not help but address right now. She had become too formal with me and I needed her to loosen up. I could not deal with this uprightness as it made me feel like I was totally out of it. Before speaking, I thought of it. I mean, I could not ask her to call me daddy because that coming from her would only serve as a total turn on. Neither could I ask her to call me other nicknames as that would raise suspicions. One might think that addressing me as Alpha Eric would be better but that would be even worse than when she calls me Sir. It was then it struck me. Something that would fit.

"Dera, you are not a stranger here anymore. I mean, you're my daughter's friend and I don't think you should be formal anymore. I would prefer you address me as Eric." I said to her, How badly I wanted to add that she was not just my daughter's friend but my mate too. Dang it! I really need to work on myself before I would give everything out and then make an absolute fool of myself.

"But, that's your name." She said,

Yes. It was my name and I was not giving another. That was not supposed to be a problem, right?

"Is there a problem with that?" I asked her.

"Not really but where I'm from, I was told that calling a man by his direct name with no form of respect was a sin and even the moon goddess frowns at it." She said to me,

What? Seriously, who was this fool that messed with her head so badly? I felt my anger rising but not towards her. Towards her family and her husband. Speaking of which, I also needed to know what she had been calling him during their time together. Maybe, that would help me understand better or correct her.

"What did you call him? The bastard that has been abusing you for the last five years?" I asked and then noticed that I had done that with so much bitterness. It felt like I had just opened a dark pit in my heart and I was pouring its contents out. She looked at me and quickly removed her eyes when our eyes met.

"It has always been Alpha Isaac or my lord or Sir. Never his name alone or anything else. I was told it was a way to honour him and he said it was right too." She responded.

Now, there was even more cooking up in my heart against the man and I brutally wanted to see him and put him in his place. Well, that would have to wait as suddenly, the maid got to the library. I had totally taken my mind off her when I had been trying to satisfy my ego being punctured by the thought that some asshole has been abusing her and lording himself over her. If anything, he deserved to be stripped off his role as an Alpha and disgraced. Luckily, when the maid came we were away from each other and I was closer to the door. I did not want to raise any suspicions right now. At least not while I was still figuring out how to handle everything.

"My Alpha, I could come later." The maid said.

"It's fine. Dera, we would pick this discussion up sometime later. I really want to know about that arrogant prick. In the meantime, enjoy your reading time. I'll be in my study." I said and I quickly turned away before she opened her mouth. I did not want to hear her say anything about me in a formal way as that would really hurt.

Shortly, I was back to my study getting grilled by my asshole of a wolf. Apparently, he was pissed off at me for blowing off yet another chance for us to have marked our mate and I was left asking him if he was okay. Hell, how was he expecting that I would suddenly break my promise to my daughter in such a short time. Even if it was becoming clearer to me that I would not be able to keep up, I should have to try and give it some time. Besides, there was Dera herself to consider. She would think that I was just out to take advantage of her and then I would have lost her trust too.

If anything was bound to happen between us, I would have to make certain it happened at the right time. This seemed to calm him down for a moment before he started suggesting that we show her the way. We would but first I needed her to unlearn everything that asshole had taught her. I needed her to learn that she was her own person and was entitled to her own choices just like my daughter.

I sat down there and tried to work on a couple of things when Amara called me. She had successfully completed the task she had been gunning for and had called to attend an auction function. She asked for money and I was literally confused but she was going to tell me everything later. Well, I hoped that it would be thrilling and I sent her the money knowing well enough that there was definitely a good reason why she asked. She never asked because she had hers.

I started trying to work after that but I could not and I decided to give up pretending that I was any way interested in working. I wanted to see Dera and I decided to go check on her at the library. I started down slowly and I heard someone climbing somewhere. It was her and I could already guess that it was the ladder. I started to go quickly so that I would assist her but upon reaching, she had already climbed.

She did not notice that I was in the space yet and I wondered if she had ever been coached on using her nose. I mean, she had gotten lost in the castle where she could have sniffed around. Amara once mentioned that her father restricted her even after she had her first transformation and was focused on her brothers.

Right now, I knew it was very possible she did not know how to do anything. Well, I will figure out a way to teach her. As I stood there watching her, she started reaching for a book and before I could warn her about the ladder tilting, she was already falling and very quickly, I ran over and caught her as she fell, kicking the ladder out of the way.